The claim overstates the facts. On Sept 16 the DOJ issued a general public reminder of longstanding FARA and 18 USC 951 rules: anyone acting in the US under the direction or control of a foreign principal or government must register/notify, including for public activities like demos that further that foreign power’s propaganda or goals. Failure can bring civil or criminal penalties. Independent criticism of data centers or AI remains protected speech. The notice explicitly affirms that lawful protest and independent advocacy are protected. Liability applies only to actual unregistered foreign agents, not ordinary critics. FARA is a transparency statute, not a speech ban.